Beekeeper’s To-Do List March
Our bees are raising brood and flying on warmer days! Do not relax! Never stop monitoring!
Check:
Inner cover for increased condensation that comes with broodrearing. All those larvae and new bees respire and hives may need slight increases in ventilation. If you did not have an upper entrance/vent open, now may be the time to open it, or increase ventilation by a small increase in opening at top or bottom. Matchsticks or craft sticks or anything < 1/4" on top rim of inner cover may increase ventilation enough.
Honey or syrup
There are many pollen sources for the bees now, but don’t be fooled by that pollen coming in. Until there is a significant nectar source, the colony is still relying on last year’s honey or the sugar/syrup you are feeding them. Check honey stores by hefting or weighing the hives. You will probably find the hives are much lighter than last fall. pollen does not provide the carbs that honey bees need to survive and to raise brood. Until the first big nectar flows, possibly bigleaf maple, overwintered hives can still starve out. Dry sugar on inner cover or candy board can still be added until switching to 1:1 syrup at 55 F (50 F if feeder enclosed and insulated at top and/or sides.
Deadouts are cleaned up to avoid attracting robbers and any honey saved to help remaining hives, unless nosema is suspected. Nosema spores in honey will not affect human use but those spores could germinate inside larvae to which the nurse bees feed it. Unless you suspect that, you can use those deadout stores to boost hives.
Entrances are cleared, both top and bottom, for cleansing flights and ventilation. Keep removing dead bees that might attract yellow jackets and other predators coming out of overwintering dormancy.
Robbing screens keep strong hives from raiding their weaker neighbors. Fastening them on with bungee cords or another easy on/off method lets you clear out dead bees behind them, or insert oxalic acid vaporization (OAV) treatment devices as needed.
Mite counts on slideout boards of screened bottom boards for mite drops indicating treatment should be done. If indicated, treat now before the colony starts capping large numbers of brood cells, where the overwintered Varroa will breed. Low temperatures still are limiting us to OAV and the organo-synthetics in much of Western WA.
Insulation and winter protection
Leave in place until spring is really here. Don’t rush to remove them; avoid chilled brood. Temperatures can’t be relied upon to stay above freezing in most of Western WA yet. If there is a sudden drop in temperature, the adults will already find it hard to keep the brood warm, because there is a lower adult to brood ratio in the colony population when the brood nest is rapidly expanding.
Bees and equipment
Order as needed. Over 2 dozen suppliers listed on the 2022 Nucs & Package Suppliers List available via our Facebook discussion group page and our home webpage, www.snokingbka.org .
Assemble, scrape, repair or paint equipment as needed. Overwintered hives will need it soon.
Deadouts
Autopsy, clean, & store deadout equipment & stores. Take photos, photos, photos!
Review last year, catch up your journaling if necessary, and start this year’s plan.
Yellow jackets & hornets
Set traps to catch queens emerging from winter dormancy.
Attend your local bee club meeting!
Celebrate cleansing flight weather when it comes!
